Amity, Madison County, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amity
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 Amity, Madison County, Ohio
Location in Ohio
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| Counties | Madison |
| Elevation | 919 ft (280 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
43064
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| Area code(s) | 614 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1077516 |
Amity is a small, unincorporated community in north-eastern Canaan Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. It is located where Plain City-Georgesville Road and Amity Pike Road meet, between Plain City and West Jefferson.
Contents
How Amity Began
Early Settlers and Businesses
In 1817, two brothers named Uri and Lorenzo Beach moved to this area. Before they arrived, farming was the main activity. Uri Beach built a sawmill next to the Big Darby Creek. A sawmill is a factory that cuts logs into lumber. Later, he added a machine called a carding machine. This machine helped prepare wool for making fabric.
People also did spinning and weaving at this factory. The factory made all the wood needed for the first wooden buildings in northern Madison County.
Growing into a Community
Around 1826, Lorenzo Beach opened his own general store. A post office, called The West Canaan Post Office, started on January 16, 1829. By 1831, the community also had a hotel and a blacksmith shop. A blacksmith is someone who makes things out of metal.
Because of these businesses, a small community began to grow. The Beach brothers bought some land and officially planned out the community of West Canaan on April 1, 1831. The name was recorded at the London Courthouse on January 3, 1833.
Name Change and More Growth
In November 1834, more land was added to the town's official area. The town and post office names were then changed to Amity. In 1834, Lorenzo opened a second store in another part of town. By 1835, Amity had two stores selling dry goods (like fabric and clothes). It also had a factory for wool, a sawmill, and a distillery (a place that makes alcoholic drinks). There was also a comb factory and many blacksmith and other small workshops.
At this time, Amity was a more important trading place than Plain City.
Changes and Decline
However, things changed for Amity. The factory's dam was taken down because it was causing problems. Also, a major train line for the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad was built through Plain City in 1851. This caused most of the businesses to move to Plain City.
By 1875, Amity had only one dry goods store, one wagon and blacksmith shop, one church, and one doctor. In the 1880s and 1890s, a company that made windmills was located in Amity. The Amity Post Office closed on July 31, 1901. Mail service then went through the Plain City branch. By 1915, the village had only one store and one blacksmith.
Population Over Time
In 1875, about 100 people lived in Amity. By 1915, the population was much smaller, with only about 35 people.
